In Los Angeles, Jaguar Is Going Big And British

Don't ever say Jaguar isn't doing everything it can to bring back the magic.

This week in Los Angeles the Tata-owned British brand debuted its newest car at Paramount Studios near a reflecting pool under an enormous movie screen emblazoned with "Hollywood" and search lights.

There Jag's much ballyhooed F-Type convertible emerged through fog, aging British rockers (think Ironmaiden) and the scent of Pimm Cups at hand. The latest iteration from Land Rover--also owned by Tata--drove through the water to its spot on the stand. Flag pins with "British Invasion" were passed like dinner mints; a Union Jack fluttered in the breeze.

The F-Type is especially interesting for Jaguar as it attempts to become a player on par with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. It offers three choices of supercharged engines (340 to 495 horsepower) and an eight-speed sport suspension. The car is based on a V6 S model--0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 171 mph--and will be on sale as a two-seat convertible by the middle of next year (a coupe version will arrive months later).

The folks at Jaguar say it's the successor to its iconic E-Type. Let's hope the F-Type drives a bit better than that.